edoralive
Contributor
I had the pleasure of visiting St. Kitts and Nevis Jan 26 - 31. I dove two days with ProDivers St. Kitts, Jan 27 and 28. Both dives were morning two-tank dives - the only regularly offered.
Some basic things:
The boat is a small pontoon, with something like 20 divers when full. SKN is a popular cruise port, so you’ll likely be diving with cruise passengers. The dive sites we went to were usually a 10-15 minute ride from the dock.
Great crew - super friendly. The owner gets in the water with a dive master and you’re free to roam within reason. I was left to my own devices, which I was happy about. Dives were around 50 minutes. Water on the boat, no snacks.
In general the reef is in good shape. Lots of turtles, lots of sharks and a few rays. The Harbor Reef is a bit worse off - a lot more bleaching but it’s also closer to the cruise terminal. There was also a wreck dive which was quite nice - two wrecks right next to one another. On the wreck dive there is a VERY friendly, very large moray who comes out looking for food and is pretty intimidating.
The one thing I didn’t like was the practice of spearing lionfish and feeding them to the sharks. The spearing is welcome, and I saw maybe a dozen lionfish across the four dives. Feeding sharks strikes me as unethical and a dice roll - eventually I feel it will lead to a bad day for shark or human.
Surface life: SKN is pretty sleepy and dependent on the boats. A lot of places close at 6 when the ships depart. There’s ample nature, and climbing Mt. Liamuiga was a brutal but rewarding hike. Frigate Bay has a little more going on into the evening, and there’s some real tasty food on the island.
It was a lovely trip with lovely local folks and gorgeous weather. I don’t know if I’d come just for the diving, or if I’d return, but as a stop on the way to St. Croix for a liveaboard, it was a nice time.
Some basic things:
- Air only, no nitrox
- Water temp was 80-81 degrees
- No current to speak of
- Visibility was 50 - 60’
- Max depth 80’
The boat is a small pontoon, with something like 20 divers when full. SKN is a popular cruise port, so you’ll likely be diving with cruise passengers. The dive sites we went to were usually a 10-15 minute ride from the dock.
Great crew - super friendly. The owner gets in the water with a dive master and you’re free to roam within reason. I was left to my own devices, which I was happy about. Dives were around 50 minutes. Water on the boat, no snacks.
In general the reef is in good shape. Lots of turtles, lots of sharks and a few rays. The Harbor Reef is a bit worse off - a lot more bleaching but it’s also closer to the cruise terminal. There was also a wreck dive which was quite nice - two wrecks right next to one another. On the wreck dive there is a VERY friendly, very large moray who comes out looking for food and is pretty intimidating.
The one thing I didn’t like was the practice of spearing lionfish and feeding them to the sharks. The spearing is welcome, and I saw maybe a dozen lionfish across the four dives. Feeding sharks strikes me as unethical and a dice roll - eventually I feel it will lead to a bad day for shark or human.
Surface life: SKN is pretty sleepy and dependent on the boats. A lot of places close at 6 when the ships depart. There’s ample nature, and climbing Mt. Liamuiga was a brutal but rewarding hike. Frigate Bay has a little more going on into the evening, and there’s some real tasty food on the island.
It was a lovely trip with lovely local folks and gorgeous weather. I don’t know if I’d come just for the diving, or if I’d return, but as a stop on the way to St. Croix for a liveaboard, it was a nice time.
